Government benefits & financial support after a death (Kenya): NSSF, WIBA, public pensions, SHA/SHIF, SACCOs, banks, insurance & unclaimed assets

Estate authority and inheritance distribution: legal guide (Kenya).

For the full action checklist, use what to do after a death (Kenya).

This guide is most useful if the deceased had employment, NSSF contributions, public-sector service, work-related death circumstances (WIBA), a SACCO/co-operative membership, multiple bank accounts/loans, or insurance policies.

If your case is simple, prioritise just three lanes first: employer benefits + NSSF survivor lane + bank stop-loss.

Who this is NOT for: If the deceased had no employment history, no formal contributions, and no bank accounts, focus first on urgent household/community support while you confirm whether any overlooked lanes exist (faith/community support, informal savings, SACCO membership, older accounts).

1. Build your “identity + death proof” pack: death certificate / proof of death + your ID + proof of relationship / authority (requirements vary by lane).
2. If the person was employed, open employer lanes first: salary/leave/terminal benefits + any employer cover (ask HR explicitly).
3. Open the NSSF lane (if contributor): request the checklist and official forms from NSSF (or Huduma where offered).
4. If the death may be work-related, open the WIBA (DOSHS) lane early (evidence + reporting timelines matter).
5. Stop bank leakages, then map accounts/loans across banks. For every loan: confirm whether credit-life insurance exists that may reduce or clear the balance.
6. Check SACCO/co-operative membership and confirm: shares/deposits + any embedded cover linked to membership or loans.
7. Run an insurance search (paper + email + employer + bank add-ons) and open claim files.
8. If you suspect missing/older accounts or benefits, open the UFAA lane.

• Was the deceased working at the time of death?
• Do you have the deceased’s NSSF number or evidence of NSSF contributions?
• Was the deceased in public service (and if yes, which scheme/administrator applies)?
• Was the death potentially work-related (accident/occupational cause)?
• Are there bank alerts/OTPs on a phone/email you can secure?
• Are there standing orders/subscriptions that will keep charging?
• Are there loans (bank/SACCO/mobile credit) that might become overdue?
• Is there any employer cover (group cover/death-in-service type benefit) or staff welfare fund?
• Was the deceased a SACCO/co-operative member (shares, deposits, loans, embedded cover)?
• Could there be an older/untraceable account or benefit (UFAA lane)?

If the deceased was an NSSF member, survivors/beneficiaries may claim benefits through the NSSF process. The fastest way to avoid wasted trips is simple: request the official checklist and submit one clean pack once.

Public-sector benefits depend on the person’s category and the scheme that applies. Your first job is not paperwork — it’s identifying the correct administrator and route.

If an employee dies due to a workplace accident or occupational cause, WIBA provides a structured compensation lane. In practice: employer reporting + documentation + timelines are what move the claim.

Kenya’s health financing landscape has evolved. In some cases, the relevant health cover may reduce end-of-life costs through facility processes (for example mortuary-related services where available under the benefit package). Treat this as a practical cost-control lane: confirm eligibility, confirm what’s covered at the facility, and keep every invoice/receipt.

If the deceased belonged to a SACCO or co-operative, there may be value in multiple places: share capital, member deposits, and sometimes embedded cover linked to loans or membership.

Many families discover money months later: an old bank account, dividends, an investment, or benefits that were never claimed. If you cannot find the institution, use UFAA to identify likely matches and contact routes — then follow the official claim process.

Employers can be a major source of money and documents: last salary, unpaid allowances, unused leave, terminal benefits, and letters/certificates that unlock other processes (banks/insurers/NSSF/WIBA lanes).

The standard bank question (copy/paste)

“Please confirm all products held by the deceased with your bank (accounts, deposits, cards, loans, standing orders). What is your deceased-account process, what documents are required, and can you provide a reference/acknowledgement and expected timeline?”

Your job is to confirm 4 things quickly: whether there is a policy, who the beneficiary is, the document checklist, and the claim reference and timeline.

Kenya’s support landscape can be fragmented across county/community/employer lanes. If the household is in immediate distress, don’t wait for long processes to finish. Ask for help while you run the bigger benefit lanes in parallel.

• Week 1–2: open employer lanes, confirm NSSF membership and start the NSSF checklist, open WIBA lane if work-related, bank stop-loss + product map + credit-life checks, insurance search, SACCO confirmation, UFAA detection if needed.
• Week 3–4: submit remaining documents, respond quickly to missing-item lists, confirm next dates and references.
• Month 2: weekly follow-ups per lane, always referencing your case/claim number.
• Month 3: escalate formally if there is no movement (with evidence pack).

• All lanes opened: you have checklists and submission channels confirmed in writing where possible.
• All submissions acknowledged: you have receipts/references for every lane you submitted.
• No “loose ends”: every lane has status + next action + follow-up date in your tracker.
• Payments/outcomes documented: you have clear outcomes and proof for NSSF, employer, banks/loans, insurance, SACCO, and any applicable lanes.

• Death certificate / proof of death (and supporting hospital documentation if relevant)
• Your identification and contact details
• Proof of relationship / authority (as required per lane)
• NSSF packet: member number, checklist, forms, submission reference
• Public-sector packet (if applicable): scheme/admin confirmation in writing, checklist, references
• WIBA packet (if applicable): incident timeline, medical documents, employer letters, claim reference
• SHA/facility packet (if applicable): eligibility notes, itemised invoices/receipts, facility confirmations
• SACCO packet (if applicable): membership proof, shares/deposits/loan statements, checklist, references
• UFAA packet (if applicable): commissioned forms, authority documents, references
• Employer packet: HR contacts, payout checklist, acknowledgements, letters issued
• Bank packet: account/loan map, recurring charges list, credit-life confirmations, case refs
• Insurance packet: policy clues, claim references, document checklists
• Tracking log: date, channel, officer, reference, missing items, next step, follow-up date

• Waiting for estate/probate steps before opening benefits lanes that can run independently
• Submitting to the wrong office (not confirming the correct scheme/administrator first)
• Assuming the employer/bank/SACCO “will handle it” without references and written acknowledgement
• Letting standing orders and subscriptions keep running for weeks
• Forgetting SACCO membership and missing shares/deposits or embedded cover
• Not checking loans for credit-life insurance that could reduce/clear the balance
• Sharing OTPs/PINs/logins with “helpers” and exposing the household to fraud

1. Full checklist: what to do after a death (Kenya)
2. Funeral logistics: planning a funeral (Kenya)
3. Estate/inheritance: legal guide (Kenya)
4. Emotional support: grief support (Kenya)